A Search Engine, Needles, and Thread
by a.l.russo
Summary: Midnight writing again... basically just some EO fluff because I was bored and Googling random things arm, leg foot, braces, for a few . R&R and Enjoy! Btw Happy Thanksgiving!


A Search Engine, Needles, and Thread

a story by e-oshippa47

_**A/N: So I wrote this at midnight, because honestly, I couldn't sleep and I was trying to remind myself to Google something in the morning. So right as I was entering the R.E.M. cycle, my thoughts drifted to, "I wonder if Olivia ever Googled herself." So then I was like, "Ooh!" Also, I tried to make the title a little bit ironic; try and figure it out ;) R&R, and enjoy!**_

Ah, Google. It was truly an amazing invention. You could type in anything, and get over a million hits in less than three seconds. Yes, to perverted creeps out there, it satisfied their "needs". But to others who needed it for research on anything, it was a lifesaver. At least that's how Olivia saw it.

It was also a way to play with extra time. Quickly checking behind both of her shoulders to see if anyone was in range of her computer screen (sometimes, Elliot and the others would be hovering right next to her and she would just find out when they barked a command at her), she quickly typed in "Detective Olivia Benson--- Manhattan SVU".

A couple hundred different hits came up, some with words that were similar, others that had nothing to do with the originally typed piece ("I never understood why. It's like they were bored and decided to add in that feature of random nothingness." Alec had once commented). And then she saw it.

An article written a couple years ago, of when she had brought down a man who was stalking her, watching her every move and clipping various articles and pictures of her. The thought of the case still made her shudder and send chills down her spine, but the thought that it actually made it onto the Internet excited her a bit. Taking in her excitement and realizing the reality behind it, she shook her head and muttered to herself, "Wow, Liv," Exiting the window, she continued in the form of a sigh, "you really ARE bored."

"Why are you bored, exactly?" Her partner, Elliot, inquired from across the room. He made his way over to the opposite side of Olivia's desk, and Olivia couldn't help notice that he was wincing slightly, and his fist was clutched to his side. Yet he still bore a happy-go-lucky grin on his face, and his slate-blue eyes shimmered in the dull light of the precinct. For now, she decided to ignore it.

0livia let a coy smile slip discreetly onto her face. "I was Googling myself." As she spoke, she felt heat rise to her cheeks.

"Aw, Liv, you didn't." Elliot said, sarcastically disappointed.

Walking by, Alec turned around and began to walk backward as she said, "Like _you've_ never done it, Stabler." She raised her eyebrow, and then said to Olivia, "Goodnight. Have fun Googling random objects." With a friendly wink, she walked out.

Elliot laughed, and sat down in his chair. "I've been bored too, I will admit. Did Casey get out of court yet?"

The sudden change in topic was hard for Olivia to transition to at such a late hour with such a fatigued mind. Unintentionally blinking a couple of times, Olivia quickly said, "No, I haven't heard from her yet. She told me she'd text me when she got out." As she spoke this, she saw Elliot wince and grab his arm. "El, what's bothering you?"

Elliot bit his lip, debating on whether to say anything to Olivia. "I ripped my stitches open. I don't know how to close them myself." He admitted, sheepishly.

Olivia gave a sympathetic look, and spoke softly, "Aw, El. Here, come with me, I can fix it." When Elliot shot back a polite, skeptical look, Olivia said, "No, really. When I was in Oregon, I got knifed and my stitches ripped. If I went to the hospital, the precinct would know instantly. I sewed them back myself. Please, I wouldn't do this if I didn't know what I was doing." She looked at his face. Skeptical. "Well, it's either me or the hospital, El."

With a small smile, Elliot said, "You better be right about this, Liv." He followed Olivia into the gym and to her locker with the first-aid. Bringing him back out into the gym, Olivia settled herself on the bench, her legs across each side. Elliot did the same.

"El," Olivia said, after they sat there in silence for a minute, "I need you to take off your shirt. And don't take that the wrong way." She joked, smiling at him.

Elliot did as he was told, seeing dark, red blotches of blood staining right through his gauze. "Jesus, El, what were you doing? Bench presses?" Olivia asked as she removed the blood-soaked bandages. She gave a quick "Ugh" as she placed the bandages next to her thigh.

"No, I was moving boxes. I heard a rip and I thought it was my shirt, or something." As this came out of his mouth, he realized that it sounded like he was full of himself. He then quickly added, "That came out differently than I meant it to."

Olivia smiled, and said, "I knew what you meant. Now," she said, pulling the needle and thread from the kit, "The painful part."

Elliot winced at the thought of a needle sewing through his arm. "Okay, do it." He spoke softly, trying to mentally convince himself that it wouldn't hurt as badly as he thought.

Olivia went to stick the needle in his arm, but then stopped. Lifting her right leg onto the bench, she said, "I'd lend you my hand to squeeze, but for the time being, squeeze my ankle." She flashed a small smile as she did this.

Elliot wrapped his hand around Olivia's tiny ankle. "But it's so frail…" he spoke softly, concern rising in his voice.

"Elliot," Olivia said firmly, "If I can chase after guys and tackle them in heels, I think I'll be fine." As she spoke, she stuck the needle in his arm, causing a slight diversion. Olivia felt pressure around her ankle as she did this.

"Ow," Elliot muttered.

"Sorry," Olivia spoke, earnestly. "So, Elliot, how are the kids?" She asked. She knew that her partner could talk hours on end about his children, and Olivia figured it was the best way to distract him while his arm was being sewn back together.

Elliot smiled. "They're good. Kathleen is doing a lot better; Maureen just bought a house in upper Queens. Lizzie just got her braces off recently, Dick just got his on, and Eli said his first word." He continued to beam as he spoke this.

Olivia couldn't help but smile back; she loved Elliot's kids as if they were her own. "Lizzie must be giving Dick so much crap about how her braces are off and his are on. After all, I remember him making fun of her."

Elliot smiled. "Yeah, but she has every right to." In a softer voice, Elliot said, "They miss you."

Olivia blushed, and then smiled. "I miss them, too. This is going to sting a bit," Olivia spoke, as she pulled the string through his arm. Again, she felt pressure around her ankle. Wincing in his own pain, Olivia said, "Sorry, sorry,"

Speaking through his teeth, Elliot said, "It's okay." He watched as Olivia ripped the excess thread with her teeth, and tied the rest in a knot.

Dabbing the blood that had dripped down his arm with a bandage, Olivia smiled and said, "There. That should hold you over until they take them out." She delicately removed his hand from her ankle, and then cradled it her own. "Your hands were always so rough," She observed, flipping them over and rubbing her thumbs against them. Smirking and shaking her head, Olivia whispered, "I'm sorry."

Elliot took his free hand and cupped Olivia's cheek. "Why? You just saved me a trip to the doctors."

"No, I mean, if I hadn't come… If I had stayed…" She paused, and then continued with a sort of chuckle in her tone, "You wouldn't be like this."

"If you had stayed, then you would have risked your life and possibly lost it." Elliot couldn't bear the thought of her dead body: cold, hard, and concrete.

Olivia nodded, and spoke softly, "I thought you were dead, Elliot. My mind and body just froze. I couldn't think."

Elliot sighed, annoyed at himself for causing Olivia so much angst and torment. Quickly slipping on his undershirt, Elliot said, "Olivia, I promise you, if I were to die, I'd say goodbye to you with my last dying breath. You mean the world to me, and I wouldn't want to leave you in worry." He gave a small smile to her, and instantly Olivia's troubled face softened.

Elliot flashed his cocky, half-smile, and wiped a tear that had escaped her eye with his thumb and said, "There's the Liv I know."

Olivia placed both of her hands around Elliot's hand, and said, "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, El. You treat me so well, and I don't know how to repay you." Olivia felt herself spill everything to him, her heart that was sewn so tightly to not let anyone in, was finally tearing at the seams.

Before Olivia could continue, Elliot pulled her lips to his, letting each other feel and explore the texture. Olivia felt herself wrap her arms around Elliot, and Elliot felt his grip tighten around Olivia. They never wanted to let go of each other, never wanted to see each other's eyes close before theirs. If one died, the other had to follow. If one was admitted into the hospital, the other would stay by their bedside the entire night. It was their code. It was their duty. It was the fact that they never wanted to leave.

When they couldn't breathe, they pulled back in unison; both exploring each other's eyes. Hers was a pool of brown and hazel, filled with kindness, empathy, and beauty. His was filled with pure bliss. But Elliot watched as Olivia's eyes went downward to his arm, and she sighed. "What is it?" Elliot inquired.

"El," Olivia started, removing one arm to lightly stroke his arm with two of her fingers, "You ripped your stitches open."

Elliot's eyes went to his arm, and he conjured a laugh as he said, "Oops."


End file.
